Here is a general guide of things to look for on a press check. Print for your own use or give to new clients!

Color – verify color against the color proof and/or PMS swatch for match. Feel free to fold the press sheet. Be sure to look at the proof AND the press sheet under the color specific lighting of the lightbox.

As this is a 4-color build of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK), be sure to only ask for adjustments with those colors. Don’t ask for more “green” but ask questions that specify what you want the end result to be: “if we add more yellow, will it make this green lighter?”

Pay close attention to flesh tones- they can be tricky.

Oversaturation of one color can make the rest of the sheet look muddy – be mindful of this as you check the sheet.

Remember that the pressmen are not able to fix design issues, only adjust colors.

The Register

Registration –checking that the CMYK plates are all in register or in line. Pull out your magnifying loupe (or ask to borrow the pressman’s) and check to see that all colors are lining up properly.

A great way to verify registration is to check the circular register mark in the corner of the sheet. Also look at the edges of bold text.

Paper – Is this the paper you ordered? Pick it up, feel it, fold it. Keep in mind that these sheets will still have wet ink on them and the sheet may be slightly different when the ink is dried.

Hold it up to the light to see if the ink has run through.

Know that uncoated sheets will NOT match the color proof as the color translates differently onto coated and uncoated sheets.

Clarity – Using the magnifying loupe again, verify that the dots are sharp and clear when using a coated sheet, and reasonably clear on an uncoated sheet. As with registration, the text is the great way to view clarity both from a distance and close up.

Magnified Ink Dots

Be sure that the ink is laying smoothly through the solid blocks of color and gradients are smooth.

Other Details:

Varnish or Coating: Look for a slight change in the gloss of the paper at the edge of the sheet to see if it has been applied

Nothing is more frustrating then getting a job back from your printer and being unhappy with the print work. The sky was supposed to be blue… not purple. Or I thought these flesh tones were supposed to be a little more flesh-like… these people are green! Whatever the case – you have spent hours designing a piece that is supposed to reflect the brand and culture of your organization (see this article for more on the importance of color in branding) only to have it returned looking completely unlike what you intended.

Now I know this is an extreme, but in reality what comes off the press will almost never match what was on your computer screen or in your mind. Even the most skilled pressman (of which my company has MANY) don’t have ESP. Yes, we make you check out a proof, but many clients don’t take advantage of another great tool offered by many printing companies at no charge – Press Checks!

For those of you who don’t know what a press check is, it is basically the equivalent of test-driving a car one last time before purchasing it. You are already committed to running the printing job, but you can check out the actual printed piece as it comes off the press prior to the entire job being printed. This is where you can refine the colors, check for any paper imperfections, and in general tweak your little heart out to get the feel that you want in the final piece.

I know press checks are not for everyone. It isn’t always comfortable being in a loud production center, sometimes they are scheduled at inconvenient hours of the night or late morning, and some piece are honestly just not that important. But if you are brand-conscious, printing a large quantity, or even just new to the printing industry – press checks may be just the tool you are looking for.

Stay tuned for a complete “how to” of press checking! Know what to look for and how to ask for it.

For those of you who saw my very first Creative Pre-Call Experiment from a few weeks back, you know that I am a firm believer in a small element of “cheese” when trying to charm your way in front of a new client. Everyone is busy and everyone is bombarded by sales people on a daily basis. That is why YOU need to set yourself apart from the first moment the potential client (aka Target) comes across your name.

You can use these pill bottles to creatively position yourself as the “prescription” to relive the PAIN that your buyers feel.

This Experiment takes a bit more prep then the first one, but is definitely impressive at the end.

Obtain prescription Pill Bottles. After scouring local stores and realizing they aren’t sold anywhere, I begged the Wal-Mart Pharmacist to sell me a few bottles. I was able to purchase each one for exactly. $0.15 each.

Next, put on a pair of gloves and scoop the M&Ms out of the bag into the bottles. Be careful to not get your gross germs on your future client’s treat.

Open Microsoft Word. File>New>Search Template: Avery 5163. This is the trickiest and most time-consuming part of the process. You will not find an exact blank label pattern, so you will need to modify one with a plant decal or random ugly font. I am not the most computer savvy so I am sure there is a faster way, but I had to manually delete and then re-insert the font and spacing that I wanted into each individual label. Be sure to paste your company’s logo at the top as if the prescription is coming from the “Fittje Brothers Printing Company” Pharmacy.

Figure out a creative label that revolves around how you will relieve the Target’s pain. You can see what I wrote below in the photo or here. Then print2 sheets so you have 2 copies of each label (you’ll see why in a sec). Take one sheet and apply all the labels to the already candy-filled bottles.

Next, write a creative introductory letter to the Target to the tune of “I know you are busy so I’m not going to waste your time. I will call you on X day at X time.” Insert letter into a company-colored envelope with one of your business cards.

Put labeled bottle and envelope into a clear plastic bag – be sure there is enough room left over for you to fold and seal it closed.

Grab your extra label sheet. The labels are difficult to read when wrapped around the pill bottle so this is how you will ensure that the target appreciates the full extent of your cleverness;

Fold the top of the clear bottle over and hold closed with the extra label you have on your spare sheet. Ta-Daaa! You’re done!

Now you just have to run around and drop these babies off. Be sure that you actually call on the day and time that you indicated in your letter!

Experimental Conclusions:

Mixed. Of the 12 bottles I put out, 4 were to current clients, 4 were to people I had been trying to call but hadn’t gotten through to, and 4 were to brand new names. Clients LOVED these little treats and thought I was incredibly clever. Almost immediately I won a bid with a client that I had lost almost all other bids with.

People I had tried to contact previously didn’t really respond. I have put in regular calls prior to and after giving them pill bottles, and either way they are less than interested in what I have to offer.

For the new clients, my call was taken 3 of the 4 times. Of those 3, all said that they were very satisfied with their current printer but left the door open for me to contact them in the intermediary.

Sooo all in all… I think this COULD be a very successful if targeting the right market such as a health care facility or hospital. I think it was successful in that my creativity made me stand out and EVERY person I spoke to remembered me once I mentioned the pill bottles. It was a failure in that I didn’t make any new clients, though I did further a relationship with an existing client. It may be too early to tell… It has only been one month since I dropped these off and I’d like to believe that I planted the seeds for future business.